Fisherman Rescued

A Bellingham couple assisted in the rescue of a man adrift for 26 hours in a plastic fish bin in Alaskan waters last month.

Tele Aadsen and Joel Brady-Power saw 19-year-old Ryan Harris, who was afloat in open seas after his boat capsized northwest of Sitka, Alaska. The 28-foot aluminum boat with Harris and a crewmate had capsized Friday afternoon near the south end of Kruzof Island. They had no radio or cell phone, and friends reported them missing Friday night after they failed to return.

Shortly before 1 p.m. Saturday, a search vessel found Harris’ crewmate alive on a beach. The crewmate had managed to don a survival suit after entering the water.

Harris didn’t have a survival suit, but was wearing a float coat, a warm jacket with buoyancy. At one point, it is reported, he tipped into the water, but managed to right the plastic fish bin and stay afloat.